Week 26

Everything here is going gooood.

Last p-day we spent a lot of time in arcadia at the mission office again signing up for my comp's tests. I will be spending a lot of time this transfer waiting for my comp to take both the ACT and the TOEFL tests (Dec 3rd and Dec 11th) ready for her school applications. I can't complain- she needs to take them. Monday nights it has become a tradition to have FHE with the Ramirez family so we did that and she always makes us awesome treats. This week we had zone conference and it was pretty good. One of the elders fell backwards in his chair and smashed his head pretty hard cuz he fell straight backwards and apparently it gave him memory loss. The zone leaders went to visit him in the hospital and apparently he didn't remember his name or even that he was a missionary. We saw him the other day and he said it is slowly coming back but that he still doesn't remember anything from his mission! hahaha, I mean it's not funny, but its pretty crazy! At zone conference we got new cell phones, they are super cool but we are struggling to figure out how to use it haha. At lunch they prepared a big thanksgiving dinner for us and President and sister Pike sat with us and the other set of sisters that are in our zone so we had some bonding timeee. Everyone is so formal around them but I am just my normal self so I had them laughing- yay! Sister Pike told me that she is 4 years older than president, they met on a blind date, pretty crazy.

This week I told my comp that I was going to teach her how to shop cheaper so I took her to Marshalls and Ross and my plan backfired as I ended up spending over $100 and she didn't buy a single thing because she doesn't like discount stores haha. I thought it was pretty ironic, the clothes I got are stinking cute though so its all good. At church yesterday the electricity went out and we ended up letting out early- thats never happened to me before so I thought it was pretty cool. First time that I've been glad that some of our investigators didn't come to church. We've had other very successful week, actually it was the best we've had so far. We have an awesome new investigator but her husband couldn't come to tour because he just got out of jail and has an ankle tracker thing- tragic. But we are excited about them. This Sunday we have some awesome baptisms taking place- Blanca and her 4 daughters then our other investigator Fernando- yayyyyy! We are excited and so blessed, I love this work.

As far as my medical issues- I have my doctors appointment this next Monday at 10am so I will have more info then because I seriously don't know what wrong with me. Today we are going to Ramirez's house for lunch with some other missionaries for a BBQ then we are gunna go to some park with the elders and play soccer. Should be fun, except its super cold outside sooo not sure how long we will last at the park.

One of the AP's younger sisters died in a car crash this week and it made me think about you guys and how grateful I am for my wonderful family. I am always praying that you will be kept safe and be watched over. Don't forget how much I love and appreciate you guys. Take care!!!! Laura.

Week 25

Helllllllo again!

This week has been action packed! We spent a lottt of time in Arcadia as my comp has physical therapy twice a week so we lose a lot of time doing that and I finally went to the doctor for my issues with my joints! Soooo he said that he is not sure what is wrong with me but he said it looks like rhumatary (sp?- its a fancy word for joints) arthritis, which is not good. He has sent me to a specialist but he doesn't have an opening till the end of November so I booked it but in the mean time I am struggling quite a bit. It's Satan- he is angry that we are doing so well in our area haha. Yeah, its worse in my right hand but the issues I'm having are making it very hard for me to get ready for the day as it especially bothers me in the morning. I now only wash my hair like twice a week and wear it up all the time because washing my hair is almost impossible haha, oh dear. So hopefully I can get a sooner appointment- we will wait and see, at the hospital they took my blood and x-rays of my hands and stuff... kind of exciting. BUT GET THIS- I had to pee in a cup so I did the deed then I went to put it on the counter in front of the pee collector guy and I guess I didn't put the lid on tight enough and I didn't place it down gently and it went sideways and I made a little mess. hahahahaha, the guy goes, "don't worry Ill clean it up." and I was like, "No its mine, let me do it!" hahahahahha classic. It didn't like pour all over the place or anything but there were like pee across the counter- hahahah. I hope you enjoy that little tid bit of my life!

This week we have some awesome new investigators- this family is awesome, the mom Blanca and her 4 daughters, they all committed to baptism and we had another lesson with them the other night and they are reading the Book of Mormon and excited to be baptized and liked church on Sunday- yayyyyy. On Saturday we had a mini missionary with us and that was pretty cool to have her tag along with us for the day. This week I got a lot of hand-me-downs from Sister Kang so my wardrobe is feeling a little fresh! On Sunday I lost the keys and we were stuck at the church for like an hour afterwards, I knew I left them in the kitchen but someone trying to be nice from English ward picked them up and so we couldn't find them.

I got some good news that someone I contacted and we gave as an English referral just got baptized 2 weeks ago- Giselle- pretty cool! There are miracles both seen and unseen here in the mission- I am so grateful to be here and so glad for all the blessings. The mission is tough but I am learning sooo much and know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be and wouldn't trade it for anything else. I love and miss you guys tons, HUGS AND KISSSES FAMILY!!!! love youuu.

Week 24

I am super excited to read these emails that I just printed off! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful supportive family and friends, a lot of missionaries don't have that so don't forget how much I love and appreciate you guys.

So this week has been goodddd, Monday we got to go all over the place for p-day. We went down to little Mexico with the other sisters and the familia Luevano and we had a really good time, Hermano Luevano treated us to an awesome lunch and I got a shrimp burrito and it was awesomeee. We also saw some star from some famous novela but they wouldn't let us take pictures with him. We went down there on the day of the dead which is a big Mexican tradition so everyone had their faces painted as skulls and stuff, it was pretty cool! After that we headed to Sister Kangs good bye BBQ and it was pretty cool. We played volleyball with a flat volleyball and ate some yummy chicken, it was nice to be able to say bye to her. Tuesday and Wednesday we painted the Ramirez's living room bright green haha, it ended up being a 2 day project but I ended up doing all of the painting on day 2 sola. I like doing the blue painting tape and the more detailed stuff more than the big rollers so it was fun for me to be able to do it, and they really appreciated it so that was fun. Saturday was transfer calls and my companion and I stayed together here in Covina, so that is good. I was anxious about the call, kind of hoping for a change but of course, fine with whatever. We really are good friends and I love her. Sunday was Ramon's baptism, that is Alejandra’s younger brother so that went really well!!!! yayyyy.

President Pike will be my mission president pretty much my whole mission, he leaves next June I think. I come home Oct.25th (I thought it was the 11th but I was wrong) just FYI.

Our investigators are doing good, this week there was some good progression with commitments etc but a little disappointing again when it came to church attendance- blehhh. It was our first week with no tours which means no new investigators, but thats ok, theres always next week! I am loving teaching. We had a really awesome lesson with Kevin and Davia (Ernesto’s sons) and Kevin said the closing prayer (he is 12) and it was sooo sweet and we were all crying. The spirit was really strong, I love those moments. This week at church I saw Ernesto pass his tithing slip to bishop and that made me so happy to see! Lorenzo also bought a bag for his scriptures so he could bring them to church, they both look so great in their white shirts and tie, I just can’t get over it. Lorenzo is so awesome how he bikes to church, such obedience. The people here are a great example to me, I am learning sooo much and so glad to be where I am having these experiences. I am different, haha, in a good way, this experience really is changing me and it feels really good. I love you guys so much, I really do miss you a lot but I’m excited for Christmas which is coming up soon- phone call home- HOLLLLLLA.

HUGS AND KISSES
Laura.

Week 23

Happy Halloweeeennnn!!!! Sounds like the ward trunk or treat was really good, mom and dad I am disappointed in you for not dressing up! haha, even I dressed up (ok not really- me and my companion just switched name tags!). Here we had a ward activity and it was a lot of fun, there were different activities set up but also they got my home boy Adan to DJ and he is a real DJ (thats why he is inactive cuz he DJs Saturday nights then is too tired to come to church) so it was super fun to listen to REAL music haha. Not saying that I hate church music- I like it, I just liked the break from it haha. We are not allowed to dance though, which is probably good since I was the only white girl in a big room of Latinos so that rule probably saved me from humiliation. haha.
Last night for the 31st we went to Alejandra's and we handed out candy to the kids and gave pass along cards to the parents, it was pretty fun. We spend a lot of time with Alejandra, she is so awesome. She is deff my favorite person ever and we have big plans for after the mission- road trip to Utah etc cuz I keep telling her that she is going on a mission and getting married in the temple to a nice little Mormon boy haha, she agrees so life is good. She found out she can gets scriptures on her iPod and she freaked out, she was excited.
Today should be a fun day. This morning we are going with the English sisters that are in a trio (Casperson- the one I went on exchanges with before, Pack- remember the packs from red deer? their niece! small world, it's her first transfer, she is English only, and sister Kunz, who is really quiet I don't really know her) to Little Mexico with the familia Luevano then in the afternoon we are going to Sister Kangs little get together over in Chino where we are gunna have a BBQ and play volleyball- we are taking Alejandra with us as a surprise. So today should be funnnn, hopefully!
Everything is good with our investigators, we were supposed to have 8 people to church yesterday that said they were deff coming and only 1 person showed so I was pretty depressed, but life goes on, the work is going good. My testimony is growing pretty much daily, I am so glad to be here, I had/have a lot to learn so this is a blessing to be put in an environment made to test us and help us grow. I love the gospel, it is perfect and we are so blessed to have it in our lives. I gotta go, HUGS AND KISSES. Laura.